{The Ordinary Moments 16} #39 ‘An Autumn Afternoon’

You may have noticed it has been a little quiet around here the last couple of weeks and that is for a good reason. We’ve been back from our incredible holiday in Orlando for a week now, but in reality it has actually taken until probably the last couple of days to get back into the swing of things at home. Inevitably when you return from a holiday your everyday routine is a little out of sync, there’s suitcases to put away, piles of washing to attend to, work to catch up on and little people to try and get back to normality.

Mads went straight back to school on the Monday and so we were thrown back into our busy day to day life pretty quickly. It’s been a hectic week, but only really in the ordinary hectic sense, with school and nursery runs, both myself and Jon straight back into work, homework and spellings to do and dinners to cook. However there have been a few exciting milestones in the midst of the normality, with our baby boy firstly rolling over for the first time at 6 and a half months and also having his first taste of food.

We deliberately didn’t plan anything for this weekend, knowing that we would more than likely need a weekend to recoup and chill out. Halfway through the week Jon mentioned about going to a forest at the weekend, we haven’t really had a chance yet to get out and enjoy this beautiful autumn weather we have been having. As much as summer is my favourite, apart from December of course, I do really love autumn. There’s something so lovely about wrapping up all cosy and warm in hats and coats and getting out and about in the stunning autumn colours. So that’s exactly what we did on Saturday afternoon.

We decided to go to Thetford Forest in Norfolk, it’s about 50 minutes so not too far from us, but it is somewhere that we haven’t been before. We didn’t end up heading there until the afternoon and by the time we arrived it was quite cloudy and dark, so we didn’t have too long before the light started to go. My sister and Jamie her boyfriend came along too and we had a lovely time running around in the leaves, looking for the Gruffalo and playing on the fantastic adventure playground there.

It’s actually the first time since the weather turned that we have been out on a family walk. It sounds a little strange but there is something really comforting to me about dressing up warm and heading out outdoors, before going to a cafe and having a hot chocolate full of marshmallows and cream. I think it is because it is just such an incredibly ordinary thing to do as a family. There’s just nothing better to me than being together like this at the weekend. There’s something about autumn and winter, it brings out the homely side of me. While I am someone who craves adventure, there’s something about this time of year that really makes me just want to be close to home. I love those days spent together, before putting the children to bed and snuggling in front of the television with the candles lit, filling the room with the smell of salted caramel.

I had my camera with me but as the light was going I took a few photos at the start of our walk but then put it away, still I am really pleased that I managed to at least capture a few photos of the incredibly beautiful autumn colours that are around at the moment. The light was going so they are a little grainy but I also love that my sister was around to take a couple of us as a family. I mentioned this on an instagram post last night, but I have recently got into carrying our little boy in a carrier. I didn’t have a sling or a carrier with the girls and I feel like I have massively missed out on such a special part of parenting. We got this Kiddihug carrier and it is lovely having him close to me all snuggled up and he loves it too. I definitely think I am going to be doing it all the time now.

It was just a really simple afternoon, but perfectly lovely at the same time.

Exactly what we all needed.

In case you are wondering as a few people asked me on instagram, my yellow padded coat is my new treat to myself as I haven’t had a new winter coat in years from Superdry, my jeans are the ripped Topshop Joni jeans, the girls gorgeous little padded coats are from Tootsa Macginty and our baby boy’s little dinosaur padded suit is from Cath Kidston.

*****

I also have to thank my lovely friend Donna for hosting the Ordinary Moments the last couple of weeks for me while I have been away. She is such a supportive friend and so generous with her time. Thanks Donna. x

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Comments

I wish we had a Gruffalo near us, that must have been so much fun for the girls, and you found some incredible Autumn colours – what a lovely spot!! You already know I’m a huge fan of slings, and I love the feeling of having my babies all snuggled up on me, plus it gives you your hands back which is a massive plus with two big girls running around:)

Welcome back Katie – whilst missed for ordinary moments you have certainly looked to have an incredible time and its been great to see! These pics are so gorgeous; I love the colours, they look so dreamy and you truly have captured the love and fun of your fam with the beauty of nature! Looks a fab walk and lovely place!! Love the carrier too and baby wren is growing sooo fast, mads is so much like Jon isn’t she? x

PS where is your coat from? I am need of a snuggly outdoors one, I love yellow too. I have been eyeing up the one in zara but I like the hood on yours 🙂 xx

Oh Katie I love these photos so much, they scream autumn don’t they? My favourite season in the whole world is autumn, the colours, wooly hats, chilly noses, and most importantly hot chocolates and marshmallows at home afterwards is the best thing! x

Thetford forest looks gorgeous, your photos are beautiful. The ground looks covered in leaves as far as the eye can see! Yay for baby wearing, I love the photo with just your little mans eyes peeking out, its adorable. I didn’t carry my eldest two at all, and Amy only a bit, but I carry my littlest all the time its brilliant for keeping them nice and close, and it makes life with older children easier as you have more hands!

Welcome back from your holiday — I loved following your adventures on IG; I can’t WAIT to take the boys. We’re off to the US to see their godfather next year — in San Fran — and I think we may take them to the LA Disney park. I’ve been to the Florida one a couple of times but never the one on the west coast. These are such beautiful pics Katie — an autumn backdrop is so gorgeous isn’t it? All that lovely colour! Cxxx

Gorgeous autumnal photos. You can’t beat finding the gruffalo 🙂 We love going for lovely walks and then heading to the cafe for hot choclate and cake, for me it sums up Autumn. I didn’t baby wear with Alice, but I did with Holly and completely loved it, so did she. It really is lovely having them so close and having your hands free. x

Nothing beats an autumnal walk in the fresh air with your family. It also makes coming inside in the warm all the more delightful! Love that you’re in all gorgeous primary colours (except John!). I’m also rather partial to your sister’s trainers!!! Gorgeous pics and colours. xx

Oh the colours Katie-So beautiful! Not just the autumn leaves but the fab bright colours of yours and the girls coats. I agree wrapping up warm is fab but being at home all cosy is exactly what I want to be doing at this time of year as well. Gutted I missed the last few link ups as didn’t realise Donna was hosting-oops-So wrote my posts anyway! xx